In a world where machines and algorithms are slowly displacing human labor, the need to find the right career path can never be overemphasized. The evolution of these industries and the job sector, in general, require careful examination before making a career choice. There is a strong need to gravitate towards fields with more available opportunities and space for growth.
Also, you do not want to be on a career path that is booming this minute and crashing the next because whether you realize it or not, life is becoming more dynamic than ever. A single event such as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the job description of many professions. Most people had to work from home; others had to change careers entirely.
To stay abreast of this dynamism and make informed career decisions, check out these eight most promising career paths in 2022 in no particular order.
Home health and personal care aide
This might sound like a meager job, but it’s actually one of the most valuable. This profession is about helping others and usually involves visiting patients’ homes to administer care, taking the patient’s temperature, checking pulse, etc.
The caregiving aspect goes beyond administering medication. It also involves giving attention to patients and spending time with them. While this might not be the highest-paying job, it’s one with increasing opportunities. The need for home health and personal care aides is at soaring levels. These professionals might not have been the frontline heroes during the pandemic, but they played a significant part in providing care to the ailing.
Beyond the surge from events such as a pandemic, a large percentage of individuals needing home health care are aged persons. Therefore, the need for these professionals is on the rise. You don’t necessarily need a degree to join this career path.
That said, some professional agencies in the industry might require that your credentials include some level of training before you’re contracted as a caregiver. These certifications could serve as a stepping stone into the medical field if you wish to broaden your scope and earnings.
Software developers
This is one of the coolest jobs to have in 2022. A software developer’s job generally begins and ends with a computer. As such, they often have the liberty to work from home and receive very lucrative salaries. With the continuous advancements of the digital era, this industry is booming. And from all indications, it will continue to do so for many years to come.
The fact that developers do not have to conform to the usual 9-to-5 work schedule is a significant appeal. Top that with other flexibilities and benefits, such as proper insurance, vacation, profit sharing, and more, and the result is that many young people are entering the industry.
Some companies prefer to hire novice software developers, providing the necessary training to suit their objectives and specific goals. Others want experienced developers who can quickly provide resounding software solutions.
Here are some of the popular aspects of software engineering:
- Frontend development
- Backend development
- Full-stack development
- Web development
- Database development
- Cloud development
- DevOps engineering
Generally, developers need strong programming skills, critical thinking, and other soft skills. You can stand out from the crowd if you have unique, solution-oriented and seasoned experience. The good news is that this level of expertise is attainable with experience and, most importantly, education.
While discovering the right career might bring you to the doors of opportunities, education and training are necessary to open them up. For instance, obtaining a Master’s of Operations Management online improves your chances of getting to the upper-echelon managerial positions in your workplace.
Market research analyst
Let’s start by defining what this career is about. A market research analyst is a professional who collects relevant information about a market, studies them, and presents it as insights to companies and customers.
These dense reports, spreadsheets and briefs curated from research provide companies with market intelligence. They help determine the type of products to sell, customer preferences, and the best ways to promote these products and services. The job description in this profession also covers studying market trends and forecasting them.
Furthermore, a good market research analyst should possess good analytical skills and an understanding of human behavior and psychology. Beyond these, analysts also need strong communication and presentation skills. After the research, these professionals would have to present their findings to the customer in a clear way that reflects value.
The role of the market research analyst is critical, which is why most marketing teams have at least one of them. Also, the need for these professionals runs across different industries, so they’re in high demand.
As long as the world of business remains dynamic, there will always be a need for more of these professionals to help decipher the best ways to penetrate markets and attract more customers.
Solar photovoltaic installer
As the world is shifting toward more eco-friendly sources of electricity, solar energy companies are starting to record more patronage. It has become clear that some of these mainstream methods of generating electricity are not sustainable. Considering the undepletable power of the sun, solar energy is touted as the best alternative.
A solar photovoltaic installer is a professional who installs solar panels. These panels are often fitted on rooftops or other high-level surfaces directly facing the sun. So, it’s a suitable job for individuals who enjoy handiwork outdoors.
Formal education isn’t required to get a job in this field, but there are some technical schools that offer this. Some solar companies also provide on-the-job training to optimize installers’ skills. As the solar industry is attracting more attention and patronage, more companies are springing up. This results in competition for the most skilled professionals and more competitive remuneration.
Fitness trainers and instructors
Fitness is a critical aspect of healthy living, and it can be pretty challenging to achieve. This is why fitness trainers are essential, as they provide motivation for achieving your fitness goals. Aside from working the body into shape, fitness training also improves health. With more people realizing the importance of keeping fit, the demand for professional trainers is increasing daily.
The job description of fitness trainers involves instructing exercise activities at the gym. It usually includes cardiovascular exercises, dieting, stretching, weightlifting, etc. Other times, a fitness instructor is commissioned to effect training at the client’s home, where they have to make these workout routines more achievable.
To succeed in this field, you need to have a passion for fitness and a strong knowledge of workout equipment, nutrition and perhaps first aid. A few fitness organizations require a degree or certification in the field, but a good amount of fitness experience is enough to get you started.
Thanks to streaming services such as YouTube, many fitness trainers take to documenting their routines on video. With a decent following, these influencers rake in huge incomes, endorsements and sponsorships.
Nurse practitioners
This is arguably the most important job in 2022 as nurses were the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing has become a more highly valued profession than ever before, and the salaries are also very impressive.
The nursing profession is an extensive one with so many branches under it. Some nurses spend their entire careers providing patient care, while others take a different route by getting advanced degrees. There are also nursing units based on patients’ age groups. Pediatrics involves providing care to children, while geriatrics focuses on the elderly. These two specialties alone churn out numerous job opportunities year in and year out. There are several ranks in each area, which provides room for growth.
Here are some of the popular careers within the profession:
- Nursing assistant
- Licensed practical nurse
- Registered nurse
- Nurse educator
- Nurse administration
- Nursing leadership
- Mental health nursing
- Adult care nursing
- Forensic nursing
Becoming a nurse requires several years of university education, and young nurses must decide which unit to build a career in. Perhaps psychology lectures could help provide the necessary insight. Nurses can also break into more job opportunities by obtaining a master’s degree or Ph.D. Certification can also serve a similar purpose in the case of nurse informaticistS, forensic nurses, etc.
Chef
Food is one of the primary human needs, and as such, there is always a demand for it. Fortunately, the world has evolved to a point where food is beyond nutritional value. People now want visually stimulating dishes – a plate of food to take a snap of for social media. A meal needs to look good before it tastes good. Without a shred of doubt, no one comes up with the most nutritious and enticing meals better than a chef.
The journey into this career path usually starts with a passion. Then, practice makes perfect. To become a certified chef, you would have to enroll in a culinary arts school or any other relevant program. This makes it easier to rise up the ranks to a level where you don’t just slave over the hot stove. You’ll also be given the mantle of overseeing the food preparation and choosing the dishes to be served. At this point, you can let loose your creativity.
You get to be around food all day, orchestrate the dishes, and still walk away with a large paycheck every month. Many top chefs you see on the food channel every week earn huge amounts. The likes of Gordon Ramsay make several millions of dollars a year.
It gets even better as chefs are no longer restricted to the walls of a restaurant or food stall. You can make a good living by creating food-related content for social media. In this regard, TikTok and Instagram are great spots to bring out the art in meals and dishes.
Celebrity agents and managers
Top sports stars and entertainers are the highest earners in the world. In 2021, Forbes listed Conor McGregor as the highest-earning sportsman in the calendar year. This mixed martial artist and businessman made about $180m in 2021.
This mouthwatering pay trickles down to celeb agents and managers. You don’t need an entertainer’s talent or the skill of a sportsperson to benefit from the wealth that comes from stardom.
This might not seem like a career with so many opportunities, but it is. Aspiring stars spring up every day, and each one requires the assistance of talent managers and agents to help secure gigs and put their portfolios out there.
Representing a public figure and negotiating deals is not only rewarding but also provides space for growth, the more fame garnered. There is no designated qualification or requirement for the role of an agent or a manager, but a law degree usually comes in handy.
Conclusion
One of the most critical decisions in life is choosing a career path, and getting it right can be pretty challenging. The world is far from what it once was. The opportunities of the past are not the same as the present and may still differ from the future.
Thankfully, we have compiled some of the best careers to consider in 2022 and for the foreseeable future. Most of them don’t require a lengthy learning process, making it easy to shift from your current path. If you’re already a professional in one of these areas, you simply have to work your way up to take better advantage of the opportunities at your disposal.